House of Commons Journal Volume 2: 30 December 1641

Die Jovis, 30 Decembris, 1641.

PRAYERS.

Conference concerning the Bishops.

A MESSAGE from the Lords, by the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Justice Reeves;

The Lords desire a present Conference, by a Committee of both Houses, in the Painted Chamber, if it may stand with the Conveniency of this House, touching a Petition, lately exhibited by some Bishops, to the King and House of Lords; being a Thing of high and dangerous Consequence.

Answer returned by the same Messengers; That this House has taken their Lordships Message into Consideration; and will give a present Meeting, as is desired.

Sir H. Vane senior, Mr. Pym, Mr. Hollis, Mr. Glyn, are appointed Reports of this Conference.

Sir H. Vane reports the Conference:

That the Lord Keeper delivered what he had to say in Writing, in hoc Verba; viz.

That the Petition containing Matters of high and dangerous Consequence, and such as my Lords are very sensible of, and such as requires a speedy and sudden Resolution, (the Petition extending to the deep Intrenching upon the fundamental Privileges and Being of Parliament) my Lords thought fit (the Business concerning the whole Parliament) to communicate with them in this Affair, of so great and of so general Concernment.

Petition and Protestation of the Bishops.

To the King's most excellent Majesty, [and to] the Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament.

The humble Petition and Protestation of all the Bishops, and Prelates, now called by his Majesty's Writs to attend in Parliament, and present, about London and Westminster, for that Service.

THAT, whereas the Petitioners are called up by several and respective Writs, and under great Penalties, to attend in Parliament; and have a clear and indubitate Right to vote in Bill, and other Matters whatsoever debateable in Parliament, by the ancient Customs, Laws, and Statutes of this Realm; and ought to be protected by Your Majesty, quietly to attend and prosecute that great Service;

They humbly remonstrate and protest, before God, Your Majesty, and the noble Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament, that, as they have an indubitate Right to sit and vote in the House of the Lords, so are they (if they may be protected from Force and Violence) most ready and willing to perform their Duties accordingly; and that they do abominate all Actions or Opinions tending to Popery, and the Maintenance thereof; as also all Propension and Inclination to any malignant Party, or any other Side or Party whatsoever, to the which their own Reasons and Consciences shall not move them to adhere.

But, whereas they have been, at several times, violently menaced, affronted, and assaulted, by Multitudes of People, in their coming to perform their Service in that Honourable House; and lately chased away, and put in Danger of their Lives; and can find no Redress or Protection, upon sundry Complaints made to both Houses, in these Particulars;

They likewise humbly protest, before Your Majesty, and the noble House of Peers, that, saving unto themselves all their Rights and Interests of Sitting and Voting in That House, at other times, they dare not sit or vote in the House of Peers, until Your Majesty shall farther secure them from all Affronts, Indignities, and Dangers, in the Premises.

Lastly, whereas their Fears are not built upon Phantasies and Conceits, but upon such Grounds and Objects as may well terrify Men of good Resolutions, and much Constancy, they do, in all Duty and Humility, protest, before Your Majesty, and the Peers of that most Honourable House of Parliament, against all Laws, Orders, Votes, Resolutions, and Determinations, as, in themselves, null, and of none Effect, which, in their Absence, since the Seven-and-twentieth of this instant Month of December 1641, have already passed; as likewise against all such as shall hereafter pass in that most Honourable House, during the Time of this their forced and violent Absence from the said most Honourable House: Not denying, but, if their Absenting of themselves were wilful and voluntary, That most Noble House might proceed in all these Premises; their Absence, or this their Protestation, notwithstanding: And, humbly beseeching Your most excellent Majesty, to command the Clerk of that House of Peers to enter this their Petition and Protestation amongst his Records, they will ever pray to God to bless and preserve, &c.

Jo. Eborac' Guil. Bath & Welles

Tho. Duresme' Geo. Heriff'

Rob. Co. Liche' Math. Etien'

Jos. Norwic' Godfrey Gloucester'

Jo. Asaphn' Jo. Petriburg'

Ro. Oxon' Morg. Llandaff'

Copia vera.

Ja. Browne, Cleric' Parliamentor'.

Lords willsit.

A Message from the Lords * * * *.

The Lords intend to sit at Two of Clock.

Members not to go out.

Ordered, That no Member of this House do go forth of the House during this Debate; and that the Door be locked, and the Key brought up; and the outward Room cleared, and the Door locked, and the Key brought up; and that no Papers be delivered out.

Parliament Guard.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this House shall renew their Desire of a Guard; upon the Reason which the Petition of the Bishops, this Day read, gives them Occasion to desire it.

Impeachment of the Bishops.

Resolved, upon the Question, That John Archbishop of York shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Tho. Bishop of Durham shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Joseph Bishop of Norwich shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Robert Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That John Bishop of Asaph, shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That William Bishop of Bath and Welles shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Geo. Bishop of Hereford shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Matthew Bishop of Elye shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Robert Bishop of Oxon shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Godfrey Bishop of Gloucester, shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That John Bishop of Peterborough shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Resolved, upon the Question, That Morgan Bishop of Llandaff shall be accused, by this House, in the Name of all the Commons of England, of High Treason.

Mr. Glyn went up to the Lords with this Message; To take Notice of the Lords Respect to this House, in communicating this Petition with so much Speed, and so much Affection, and for expressing their Sense of that Petition;

To accuse these Twelve Bishops in the [Name of] this House, and of all the Commons of England, of High Treason, for endeavouring to subvert the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, and the very Being of Parliament, by preferring this Petition, and making the Protestation expressed in the Petition;

To desire that these Twelve Bishops aforesaid may be forthwith sequestered from Parliament, and forthwith committed to safe Custody; and to desire that a speedy Day may be given them for their Answer; and that this House will be ready to make good their Charge.

Safety of the Kingdom.

Sir John Hotham is appointed to go to the Lords, to desire a Conference concerning the Safety of the Kingdom, and both Houses of Parliament.

Mr. Fines, Mr. Pym; Mr. Hampden, and Sir H. Vane, junior, are appointed Managers of this Conference.

Impeachment of the Bishops.

Mr. Glyn reports, That he had performed the Service commanded him by this House; That the Lords had made an Order for the Sending for those Persons that were accused of High Treason; and that they would forthwith commit them to safe Custody.

Conference.

Sir John Hotham brings Answer, That their Lordships will give a present Meeting, as is desired.

Earl of Pembroke's Indemuity.

A Message from the Lords, by Sir Ro. Rich and Mr. Page;

The Lords have sent us down a Bill that came from this House, that has been read, and committed, and passed That House, intituled, An Act for the Indemnity of Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, and the Lady Anne his Wife [and] the Heirs and Assigns of the said Lady Anne, notwithstanding any Office to be found by Henry now [Earl] of Cumberland.

Loan from Mercuant Adventurers.

Sir H. Mildmay reports, That, this being the Day that the Merchant Adventurers should have given in their Answer concerning the Loan of Monies, that they have freely condescended to lend Thirty thousand Pounds, upon the Security of an Ordinance of Parliament in the mean time, till an Act of Parliament can pass: And Sir H. Mildmay, and Sir Tho. Barrington, are to prepare an Ordinance of Parliament for their Security, and present it to the House.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this Thirty thousand Pounds, now borrowed of the Merchant Adventurers, shall be kept together entire, and not disposed of, till the Scotch Propositions be agreed upon, either for their Rejection or Entertainment.

Scotch Propositions.

The Propositions from the Scotts Commissioners were at this time read, first, all over; and then particularly read, and handled, one by one.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this House is of Opinion, that some maritime Towns in the North of Ireland, shall be put into the Hands of the Scotts, to be Places for their Retreat, Magazines, and Garisons.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this House is of Opinion, that those Towns, to be put into the Hands of the Scotts, as aforesaid, shall be the Town and Castle of Carrickfergus and Colrayne.

Ordered, That the Commissioners appointed to treat with the Scotts Commissioners shall treat with them, that those English Forces, that shall be employed in Ulster, may freely repair to those Towns upon Occasion.

Resolved, upon the Question, That this House is of Opinion, That those Towns shall remain in the Scotts Hands until the War shall end, or that they shall be discharged of that Service.

Ordered, That the Consideration of these Propositions be resumed To-[morrow].

Parliament Guard.

A Message from the Lords, by [Serjeant] Ayloff and Serjeant Glanvile;

The Lords have sent them to this House with their Lordships Votes concerning a Guard; and they have digested it into Writing: Which they read in hæc verba:

"Whether This House will join with the House of Commons in an humble Petition to his Majesty, to desire, that the Parliament may have a Guard; and such an one as may be approved of by both Houses; and to be commanded by the Earl of Essex.

"Resolved, Negatively."

"Resolved, upon the Question, That this House thinks it not fit, upon such Reasons as have now occurred, to alter, at this time, the Vote last Night, and to join with the House of Commons to desire a Guard."

"Jo. Browne, Cleric'. Parliamentor."

Resolved, upon the Question, That Sir Ro. Pye, Mr. Glyn, and Mr. Wheeler, Justices of Peace for the City of Westminster, shall take care that good Watches, sufficiently armed, be set in such convenient Places as shall be necessary for the Safeguard of this House.

Ordered, That Mr. Wheeler to take care for the Providing of Twenty Halberts for the Service of this House.